Boy! Did it shower! Even though the rain kept us inside, it was nothing short of a perfect day. Lisa, Susan and Rhiannon did a wonderful job pulling it together. The games were fun… the food delicious… the company wonderful. Actually, it was super nice. I didn’t plan a single thing and it was perfect.

I am especially looking forward to the picnic blanket I am going to make out of the napkins Lisa purchased for the event!

So our DJ has asked for us to come up with some music ideas. Like “Michelle likes 80’s dance music and Eric likes 70s funk.” We have a few ideas, things that we would like to dance to. But what about you? What is going to get your butt out on the dance floor?

(Grandma – I know, Waylon Jennings. He will be on the play list, don’t you worry.)

Just 47 days to go. 47 days to get my dress fitted. 47 days to make 5 ties and 5 vests, string the bunting, print the programs, and put the fans together. We still need to get a list over to the rental company for tables and chairs. We still need to get a playlist together for the DJ. Eric still needs to get the rest of his outfit together.

If you need me, I will be in the corner, breathing into a paperbag.

Notice how I don’t post much about the men? I don’t think they care what they wear. Actually, they probably do, a little. But since I am making a portion of their outfits and I haven’t started yet, there isn’t much on this front.

But the girls? Man, we are just plugging along. We’ve got the dress… and now we have the shoes. Right on.

The first craft-plosion happened this past weekend with the help of Lisa, Rhiannon and Jessica. We managed to get the favor boxes completed and the bunting marked for cutting and sewing. Two big projects off the plate.

The following day, Lisa and I somehow came up with the best fabric flowers ever. I am really excited to put them on stems and see what our bouquets will look like. I think with a little greenery, they will be perfect.

There is still so much to do, but once you start, it is pretty easy to keep on a roll. Every project has been started and we are in a variety of stages of completeness. Stay tuned for specifics on the crafts above…. And more!

This might be the last part of this multipart series.

First of all, if you are coming in from out of town and aren’t familiar with the area, call me so that we can work it out. I don’t know that we are having that many out of towners and it would be great if we could get you all close to one another.

Second of all, I just went to priceline and you can get hotel rooms in Santa Rosa for ~$75 – $150 a night. I DO NOT recommend the Days Inn, Santa Rosa (on Santa Rosa Ave.). I would stick to Santa Rosa, Windsor, or Sebastopol as far as towns to stay in.

What I am saying is this – I would be more than happy to help you make your accommodations.

Eric has asked his brother Ryan and two of his friends, Ryan and Dan to be in the wedding. They have many fun and fond memories of each other (camping, recess, misspent youth) and I have been very lucky to be included in building new memories with these guys. What I am saying is… I trust these dudes are going to get Eric to the wedding on time.

One of the main objectives while picking out bridesmaid dresses was that they got something that they could wear again. And by wear again, I do not mean to another formal event. Because first of all, this isn’t a formal event. And second of all, you don’t need to break the bank to make these girls look fabulous!

We had a tragic first experience with the dresses. I picked out something from a website and everyone ordered it, only to find out that their sizing was completely screwed up. So those green dresses went back.

Then we decided that we would just make a trip to San Francisco and go to a couple of stores there, once the spring lines came out. We would be sure to find something suitable at that point.

But then Lisa, with her eye always on the prize, found the treasure. The dress that would be perfect for both of them. And quite frankly, I couldn’t be happier with the decision.

Now they just have to figure out the shoes!

If you want to see the dress and ruin the surprise, just click here.

My dad called for the third time to ask what people should be wearing to the wedding. If people ask, you can tell them that we are going fancy casual (also known as wine country casual). Meaning dockers are ok…. but shorts are not. Button down dress shirts (long or short sleeved) are good, polo shirts – not really. Women can wear a summer dress or pants suit, skirt set…Like you were going to Sunday church (but not christmas eve mass).

p.s. Whatever you choose, please include a pair of fabulous shoes.

Priceline.

That’s what we are talking about today. My experience with Priceline is hit or miss. Sometimes I get great deals, sometimes I get nothing. They have changed their website so that you can either “name your own price” or just look for a room at a specific hotel.

They claim that you can save up to 50% if you name your own price. Here is my quick list of pros and cons:

Pros:

• You could save a lot of money on a hotel
• I don’t think there is any other regional event that would affect room rental availability or rates (no soccer tournaments….)
• It works great for big cities

Cons:

• We aren’t getting married in a big city. Santa Rosa is kind of big, but it is ~20-45 minutes away from the wedding, depending on where you stay in the town.
• We have tried getting deals in smaller towns, such as Healdsburg, Windsor, and Sebastopol without much luck.
• If you name your own price, you can not select the hotel, you can only select a level of quality in a hotel in a particular town.

Really, I don’t know if Priceline is worth it for the wedding, but if you are feeling adventurous or frugal, feel free to try it! And let the rest of us know how it goes.